Dear Nick:
Let me further clarify my post. Borrowing terminology from other collectible fields and applying it to vintage bicycles is both specious and misleading.
Rust, corrosion, etc. do not constitute "patina", they represent damage. Even the idea that patina, even when the term is properly applied, is always desirable is not true. What constitutes desirable patina in other collectibles is not a proper subject for this forum.
Damage to collectibles, especially if it is progressive, should be repaired (usually the sooner the better, since " a stitch in time", etc.).
The extent of such repairs will depend on the perceived value of the bike to be repaired and the will, talent, or means available to effect them.
The semantics of what constitutes "conservation", "restoration", etc. can also be confusing, and vary in different areas of collectibles, in different time periods, and in different cultures.
In any event, what can not be disputed is that rust, corrosion, etc. in a vintage bike, if left unrepaired over a period of time will destroy the bike.
Vice (in the sense of defect) cannot be presented as virtue.
George
George Hollenberg MD
CT, USA
> Dear George,
> having read your "diatribe" (sorry for my poor English) abour
> borrowing fin
> e arts terminology and misusing it, cost and lack of talent
> (unless I misre
> ad you in which case, sorry) affecting choice of "restoration
> extent", and
> although I don't have a Master in anything (was too busy working
> when I was
> young), I would point out the following: in archeology, the
> first step is
> stabilization. This can run from isolation from oxygen by means
> of protecti
> ve coating, to chemical neutralization or destruction of
> corrosive or destr
> uctive elements of any nature. Various stages of restoration are
> available
> and used, from partial abrasion to total stripping back to bare
> metal. Muse
> um curators generally like shiney artefacts (note: "generally").
> Collectors insist on patina: removing a stable green patina from
> a roman coin will de
> tract froms it's value by 90% +
>
> In the case of the bike I saw shown, obviously any powdery
> surface rust wil
> l not be left on: the correct and well tried technique for bike
> stabilization is to rub in liberal amounts of light oil such as
> 3 in 1, then burnish.
> This will prevent any further deterioration. Further, more
> radical steps su
> ch as abrading away peeling chrome mean a lot of hard work to
> maintain non-
> corroded condition, but are used, as is partial paint
> restoration (eg, touc
> hing in the larger areas of missing paint).
>
> Anyhow, my point is that there are three steps in bicycle
> "conservation": s
> tabilization, conservation or preservation, and finally, full
> restoration (
> conservation and preservation being partial restorations, and
> restoration m
> eaning the removal or addition - of corrosion, chrome, paint or else.
>
> King regards
> Nick March, Agen, 47000, France
>
> Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 01:14:50 +0000 (GMT)
> From: gholl@optonline.net
> To: Classic Rendezvous
> Subject: [CR]Principles and Terminology in Vintage Steel Bike
> CollectingMessage-ID:
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>
> It seems to me that out hobby is still so new that, as yet,
> there is little
> agreement on terminology or even on the principles of what
> constitutes a d
> esirable vintage bike.
> Some attempt to borrow (incorrectly) terminology and therefore
> ideas, from
> the fine arts and antiques fields and apply them to vintage bikes.
> One of these terms is "patina". Patina is a film formed on
> bronze or copper
> by treatment with acids or exposure to the elements over time.
> By analogy
> it also refers to a surface mellowing with age or use. To apply
> this termin
> ology to steel bikes' rust and corrosion is specious and
> incorrect. In the
> field of fine arts and antiques, damage, such as by mildew,
> parasites, "fo
> xing", etc., is not patina-it's simply damage. Rust is damage.
> In fact, if
> a rusted bike is left alone, the damage will progress and,
> eventually, whe
> re ferrous metals are involved, only rust will remain. Some
> collectors wou
> ld like to make vice into virtue by claiming their rusted and
> damaged bikes
> are in a more "natural" state, etc., but, in reality, and for a
> variety of
> reasons, they lack the will or means to perform the proper
> repairs (or ha
> ve others do them), and would have the world believe that their
> damaged bik
> es have "patina". In time, however, they will have nothing.
> In my opinion, the repair of each bike should be individualized-
> severe dama
> ge will require drastic means and slight damage only the mildest
> of remedie
> s. Naturally, the more drastic the repair, the greater the
> talent needed to
> effect it, and, in most cases, the greater the cost. Each
> collector must s
> omehow titrate the value of a damaged bike (which might be
> subjective in so
> me cases, but not all) against the extent and cost of repair.
> George
> George Hollenberg MD
> CT, USA
> =0A=0A=0A
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>
George Hollenberg MD
CT, USA